Parkinson's disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition characterized by a gradual loss of neurons that normally produce the neurotransmitter dopamine, leading to problems with movement control and non-movement-related symptoms.

Parkinson’s disease overview

Parkinson’s disease is a long-term and progressive brain disease that most commonly affects those over the age of 60.1 People with Parkinson’s disease have difficulty controlling their body movements, and symptoms become worse as the condition progresses. Ultimately, Parkinson’s disease impairs the individual’s ability to function in daily life situations.

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease result from a loss of neurons in the brain that affect movement control, as well as other areas, such as mood, sleep and thought. The exact cause of the neuron loss is still unknown, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic, environmental and ageing factors.2

Symptoms

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder and, over time, new symptoms appear and existing symptoms slowly become more severe. However, it is not a terminal illness – people can live for some 15 to 25 years from the point of diagnosis – which makes it a long-term (chronic) condition.3

Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can be categorized into motor and non-motor symptoms and complications.

Complications - After several years of treatment, complications can begin to appear.6 These may include ‘fluctuations’, when individuals alternate between periods of good symptom control and poor symptom control.

All of these symptoms add considerably to the disease burden.

Epidemiology and burden

Parkinson’s disease is one of the most common neurological (nerve cell) disorders. It affected approximately 6 million men and women worldwide.7 The prevalence of Parkinson’s disease in the US will double by the year of 2040 (compared to 2010).8

Parkinson’s disease usually develops in people in their late 50s and early 60s,1 though rarer forms of the disease can develop before the age of 40.9 One % of the population aged 60 or over had Parkinson’s disease.10

Because the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease increases with age, the fact that more people are now living into old age means that the overall number of people with Parkinson’s disease is also rising.11

Diagnosis and care

People who are concerned that they – or their loved ones – are experiencing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease should see their doctor for help and advice. Parkinson’s disease is diagnosed using medical history, clinical examination, and response to treatment; there is currently no reliable biochemical, imaging or genetic test that provides a definitive diagnosis.12,13 In addition, there are numerous assessment scales that can be used to identify the symptoms, and severity, of the disease.

At present, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues. Although current Parkinson’s treatments cannot stop the progression, they can temporarily control and relief symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.

Treatment for Parkinson’s disease normally involves drug therapy and, in some cases, surgery. In addition to this, physical exercise, diet, complementary therapies, emotional support and strong relationships all play important roles. Understanding Parkinson’s disease, relating to the new situation in life, and learning to accept new goals and challenges, are almost as important as practical management of the disease.